


Rescue

by guera



Series: Time keeps on slippin' [2]
Category: Guardians of the Galaxy (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Gen, More of this crazy AU, spoilers for GotG2, timetravel, two Peters, won't make sense unless you've read the first one
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-29
Updated: 2017-09-29
Packaged: 2019-01-06 17:08:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,603
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12215178
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/guera/pseuds/guera
Summary: The first clue is that Quill insists he doesn't want a cut of the loot, that the Ravengers can have it all (nevermind the kidisa Ravenger.)The second is that he disappears as soon as the compound is secured.The third is definitely the screaming.





	Rescue

Earth Year – 1991

The way the scientist chick was staring at him was giving Yondu the creeps. You'd think, if someone violently took over your tightly secured, obviously pricey, top secret science-y compound, you wouldn't look at them like they were the most fascinating specimen you've ever seen. Or at least you'd do a little better job at hiding it. It's like she didn't even notice the dead guards half slumped just outside the lab.

Yondu shudders and goes back to watching his men load the last of the, who the hell knows what it does, but I bet it's worth it's weight in units, machines onto the handcart and head for the ships. All over the compound he had teams of guys emptying other rooms.

“You have _got_ to let me have a look at your implant.” she implores, hands clamped together in front of her so tightly the skin is turning pink at the tension. The other scientist, a scrawny little yellow guy with four arms, elbows her and hisses. They are both up against the far wall and Yondu is really regretting not just shooting the pair of them after his crew bust down the door.

He's about to say just that, or maybe just shoot them because it's been a long day, when an earsplitting siren starts sounding over the general systems. For a second, he figures they missed an alarm somewhere when they first breached the systems but one look at the pair in the corner changes his mind.

Well, she looks frightened _now._

There's general chaos on the comms, but Yondu's voice cuts through it like always. “Everybody back to the ships, carry what ya got but don' stop for anythin' else.” He eyes the last of the crew who were shoving cases pulled from coolers into crates. “That goes for y'all too.” He gets a couple 'Yes, Captain's before they haul the full crate up between them and head out the door.

He turns towards the two scientists.

Before he can even open his mouth the yellow one speaks up. “Shoot us. If you have any mercy, _please_.” They're clutching at each other and Yondu's getting a really bad feeling.

He ignores the two sniveling and brings a hand up to switch comm channels. “Quill?”

The boy's breathing hard when it clicks on, and Yondu can hear loud crashing noises through the mic. “Yeah, kinda busy here… ouch, don't- I'm tryin' to help!”

Yondu raises an eyebrow even though he know Quill can't see him. “What did you do?” 

“Mighta pushed the wrong button.” he admits, between puffs of air. Yondu is pretty sure he's running.

Yondu turns, dismissing the two scientists as irrelevant and heads for the exit of the lab. “Hope ya got whatcha were lookin' for, cause we're leaving.” He's still getting general comms running in the background and he absently notes his men checking in as they lift off for the _Eclector_. He's halfway to the main entrances when the alarm cuts off abruptly. Without the blaring noise he can now hear the screaming.

“Got it. I'm on my-- _Fuck!_.” A loud screech has Yondu flinching and then it cuts off with a gurgle. “Thanks,” he hears Quill pant. 

“Where are you?” He barks, even as he comes around the corner and sees Kraglin standing at the door that will lead out of the compound and to the waiting ships. The large lobby is deserted except for them, but he can hear far off sounds of people running and screaming. 

“Sub-level...3?” Quill pauses, “Oh, you're right, 2. We're on Sub-level 2.” 

He's level with Kraglin now and glares at him for good measure because the brat should already be on a ship headed back, but here he is. Only reason he's not getting his ass handed to him is because Yondu can use him.

“Get the _Maggie_ ready to fly… the boy?”

“On the _Milano_ waitin' on ya, Cap'n.” 

“Tell him to get his ass on the _Eclector_ , I'm hitchin' a ride on Quill's deathtrap.”

He's already turning back, he passed a stairway on the way that should get him down to sub-level 2, when Kraglin asks. “Where are you goin'?”

“Jus' get the _Maggie_ ready, I'll be righ' back,” he snarls.

XXX

They're furry and got too many legs and move with a clicking, jerky gait that makes Yondu think of insects and other things that don't have a skeletal system. It doesn't help that they're half the size of him. And they can crawl up the fucking walls.

He's killed three by the time he gets down the stairs to Sub-level 2. He only takes a second at the landing to decide that heading towards the blaster shots is probably his best bet in finding Quill. He feels the tension curl in his chest as he passes blood splatters and scorch marks on the walls. His arrow is a comforting hum at his side as he heads down the hallway to the open doorway where he can hear the clicking of claws against tile and the echoing blaster shots. 

When he finally clears the doorway the scene in front of him has him acting on instincts. The arrow's flying before he even registers he's made the decision. Quill's got his back to the far wall, a fucking Floral Colossus of all things standing next to him, with a swarm of those _things_ crawling towards them. Quill's got one arm wrapped around a bundle of cloth, held close to his chest and he's favoring one of his legs.

Yondu's entire focus narrows down to one goal. Killing every last one of those creepy _things_ before they can touch his boy. He makes his way through a killing field towards a dumbfounded Quill before the walking tree blocks his path.

“I am Groot.”

Yondu feels his lip curl into a snarl and he's seconds away from seeing if his arrow can kill a walking tree when Quill intervenes. 

“No, no Groot. He's a good guy.” The walking tree gives him a disbelieving look (one Yondu frankly copies because _good guy?_ ) but backs off. Quill adjusts the bundle in his arm and raises an eyebrow at Yondu. “I was coming, ya know.”

Yondu pointedly looks at the half dozen bodies laying in a semicircle around them, still smoking from the arrow holes. “Yup, can see ya didn' need any help.” Quill grumbles something low enough Yondu's willing to ignore.

“I am Groot.” 

Peter glares at the walking tree. “Don't _thank_ him, we'll never hear the end of it!”

Yondu rolls his eyes, “As fun as this has been, can we get goin'? I'd like to get off this planet.”

“Seconded.” 

It's not until Quill starts moving that Yondu can see the blood trail he's leaving behind and the rage twists a little hotter in his chest. They're moving as fast as Quill's limping gait will let them and the man is pale by the time they make it to the stairs leading back up to the surface.

Quill's glaring at the stairs like they talked bad about his mama and Yondu makes a decision and drags the arm Quill's not using to hold onto the thing he came here for, up and over his shoulder, ignoring the protests and the blaster that nearly clips his ear.

“Ya shoot me, I'mma drop ya down these stairs,” he warns before practically dragging Quill up the stairs, the walking tree taking up the rear. 

Amazingly enough they make it up both flights of stairs and all the way to the entrance without running into anymore of the _things_ and Yondu has never been so glad to see Quill's ship sitting there in all her rusty glory, slightly humming and hopefully ready to take off.

He all but shoves Quill up the ramp before following, the walking tree right behind him. He's screaming at Kraglin to _Get this fucking thing in the air!_ as he slams a hand on the control to close the hatch. The ships starts rising even before the hatch starts moving, and Yondu takes a second to look at the building they're leaving behind.

He passes Quill, sitting on the floor of the cargo hold arms wrapped protectively around his bundle of blanket, walking tree crouched down next to him, and makes his way to the front of the ship. Kraglin's eyes widen when Yondu drops a hand on his shoulder, but his hands don't waver on the flight controls. 

“Ya did good,” he murmurs before leaning over him and punching in to call up the _Eclector_. 

Algo answers the call, and at least he looks happy to see his captain alive. “Doors open, Captain,” the man assures.

“Good. Fire on the compound.” At the man's confused look, Yondu elaborates, “I don' want nothing but ash left, am I understood?”

Algo's eyes widen but he's already nodding and passing on the orders. Yondu nods once before squeezing Kraglin's shoulder and turning back to the back of the ship. 

When he gets back to the cargo hold, he leans against the bulkhead and looks down on Quill. “So, what's worth all this trouble?” He can feel the ship buffer a little as the shockwaves from the explosions back on the planet.

He has to hide the smile that wants to form at the defiant look on Quill's face. “Him.” is all the kid says before pulling back the blanket. Yondu can feel the walking tree staring at him but he ignores it. The thing's probably a head shorter than him and frankly since he was protecting Quill back on the planet, Yondu's willing to give him more of a chance than he'd normally.

 _Him_ turns out to be covered in fur, about he size of a large Terran baby. It's curled up in what Yondu assumes is a drug induced sleep, metal glinting through the fur on his back. _Implants_ Yondu figures and from the bits and pieces of the story he's gathered over the last year he figures he knows why Quill was willing to risk his life to save this little ball of fluff. 

“I am Groot.”

Quill's face falls into an annoyed scowl, “I told you to cut that out.”

“I. Am. Groot.” the tree insists, all the while staring at Yondu intently.

Quill sighs, long suffering. “He wants me to thank you.” He cuts a look at the tree, “There, you happy?”

The tree nods and looks satisfied with himself, “I am Groot.”

“Great,” Yondu's a little surprised Quill's eyes don't roll right of his head. 

He puts a hand up to scratch at where his translator chip is implanted. “My chip goin' screwy or somethin'?”

Quill's already waving a hand before he even finishes the question. “Nah, it's just Groot. You get used to it.” The tree nods it's head at him. 

“Well,” he's saved from having to finish that thought by the feel of the _Maggie_ docking, and so he just heads to the hatch and waits to hit the controls to open it. 

“Get that leg looked at,” he throws over his shoulder as he steps down the ramp.

XXX

Yondu spends three hours getting his ship back under control after a job gone right. Everybody is in high spirits and while they're good about getting out of his way, he's finding the chaos is giving him a headache. His holds are full, and even if some of it is headscratchingly complex, there's at least a quarter million units worth of injectors that will pretty much fly off his ship. 

He double checks that they're headed in the right direction before making his way to his quarters. He's unsurprised to see the guard sitting on the floor by his door.

“They in there?”

“I am Groot.”

Yondu nods, it's what he expected. He opens the door and takes in the scene laid out in front of him.

Quill is curled up on the bunk, someone cut the his mangled pant leg off and a white bandge is wrapped from knee to ankle. Peter is sitting at the end of the bed, Quill's leathers draped over him like a cloak (his own are in a heap on the floor for some reason) with the now awake (and a little wide eyed at Yondu's entrance) newest addition sitting in his lap, wearing one of his old shirts. They've each got an earbud that attaches to Quill's zune. 

“It's alright,” Peter assures, “he's a good guy.”

Yondu's groan is almost swallowed by the hiss of the door closing. “Tha's the second time today.” Peter's just blinking at him so he shakes his head and changes course. “Wha's your name, kid?”

There's a little fear and a lot of defiance on that strange little face when he answers. “My name's Rocket.” 

Yondu nods, “S'a good name.” He pins Peter with a look. “Ya have any trouble with the _Milano_?”

Peter shakes his head. “Nope, flew beautifully.”

“Good.” He eyes Rocket. “Ya hungry kid?”

While Rocket looks like he's still figuring out how to answer, Peter's got it as the dismissal it was. “Come on Rocket, I'll show you where Cook hides the best snacks.” He jumps off the bed, light on his feet, Rocket scurrying up to sit on his shoulder. The kid pulls Quill's leathers on fully (the sleeves trail down past his fingers and the hem reaches the floor) and he tucks the zune into an inside pocket.

“Pete...” Quill warns without picking his head up.

“Yeah I know,” Peter rolls his eyes as he passes Yondu and opens the door. “If something happens to the zune, nearest airlock, yada yada yada. Hey Groot, wanna get something to eat?”

“I am Groot.” 

Yondu watches as Peter pauses to look up at Rocket, who only shrugs. “Probably find _something_ for you to eat.”

The three of them disappear down the hallway and Yondu closes the door. He drops his leathers on the floor as he crosses the short distance to the bed, before taking the seat Peter left. 

“We're headed to Axis 7. Know a guy tha'll take most of the weird equipment off our hands and knows better tha' to screw me over. Then thinkin' the crew could use some relaxin' so will hit either Ellos or Casiol for a while.” He's waiting for Quill to say where he wants to be dropped off, waiting to see just how long he's staying this time. Not that he'd admit it out loud, he can barely admit it to himself. 

“Ellos market is good this time of year.” Comes the half awake answer. “Pete'll like it. I'll have'ta show him that one guy that makes those ships outta glass.”

“Yeah,” Yondu rests a hand on Quill's ankle, just below the bandage. “Rocket'd probably like it too.”

There's a beat of silence before Quill turns to look at him, Yondu lets his ankle turn in the grip of his hand but doesn't let go. “He's so much younger than I thought he'd be.” he admits quietly. 

Yondu doesn't know what to say to that so he just squeezes his ankle lightly and says, “Ya better no' have bled on my bed.”

Peter's lips twitch into a smile and he turns back to curl up on his side. “Like it'd be the first time.”

Yondu leans back against the wall and shakes his head. “Ya know, there's a store room a level down tha's full of ol' junk. Clean it out and ya can have your own bunk to bleed all over.”

**Author's Note:**

> More of this crazy universe :) 
> 
> Really I just wanted to stick kid Peter, kid Rocket, and kid Groot all together on the _Eclector_ *cackles evilly* 
> 
> Thanks for reading!


End file.
